My brother is 14, so he’s technically still growing, but he really wants to make the basketball team and he’s just not that tall yet. Is hight simply genetic or can he do anything to grow taller?
Is height genetic?
Yes, height is largely genetic. It’s actually one of the genetic traits with plenty of scientific back-up. It’s estimated that 60-80% of your height is genetic.
The other factors that affect height, besides genes, are nutrition, hormones, exercise and certain diseases.
The growth hormone has a lot to do with height. Thyroxine is a thyroid hormone that affects growth. And also the sex hormones testosterone and oestrogen also affect impact height.
For your brother, know that physical exercise can also impact growth. I guess it’s not his case but if an adolescent has little exercise and becomes obese, it might impair growth, and therefore his height.